In 2022 I was in Sicily and I proposed my best friend to take a DNA sample. Two years later I made an astonishing discovery. Alessio, my friend, is the direct descendant of an ancient skeleton from 409 B.C. who participated in the legendary Battle of Himera in Sicily.

My friend is the direct descendant of a skeleton uncovered at the famous site of the legendary 2nd Battle of Himera (409 BCE) fought in Sicily between the Carthaginian forces of Hannibal Mago and the Ionian Greeks of Himera aided by an army and a fleet from Syracuse. Physical and genetic tests confirmed that the man had dwarfism.

This historical find, was published in an Italian newspaper, links modern-day Sicilian ancestry to one of the most pivotal moments in ancient history, offering new insights into the genetic continuity of the island's population. 

DNA analysis, performed by Houston based company FTDNA, revealed the man affected by dwarfism had Anatolian-Greek ancestry. The other warrior skeletons discovered at the battle site (along with horses) had mixed ancestry from other parts of Europe.

The discovery was confirmed by the prominent geneticist David Reich, known for his work in ancient DNA research and professor at Harvard Medical School.

Read about my research on Italian news Link

Read about the Himera battle on Science